 ClarkVV (3547), Allston, Massachusetts, USA
Nov 23, 2004 Updated: Aug 31, 2007
Score is for most recent vintage (2007)
2004 release bottle @ the DC/MD/VA/WV Gathering courtesy of Mike (eyedrinkale), and subsequent botltes from my cellar. What a generous contribution! I’d like to first note that I tried a sample from near the top of the bottle; no sludge and also tried and drank the entire glass of sludge from the second to last pour from the bottle. I don’t know why everyone is whining so much about the sludge, it’s actually quite tastey. Thick and pudding like (but more grit than pudding) it still retains a great flavor. Anyways, I’ll let up on my analysis of the sludge and talk about the non-sludged sample. Right away, I realized, this is the thickest, chewiest, biggest, just altogether high gravity beer I’ve sampled. The palate is chewy, sticky and just pure flavorful stout goodness. It’s not over the top with the coffee. It reminds me of the Flossmoor Eclipse, though a much amped up version. Wine, port, rich soy and maple notes on the nose. Vanilla, chocolate, spanish coffee flavors, with rich malt accents all throughout. Such an even, smooth palate. With all of the stuff going on here, there’s little time to take note of the high alchol content. I don’t see how you could rate the flavor below a 9, but to each his/her own. Incredible dark black/brown pour, with a rich dark tan head. This stuff just drips with quality and care of brewing. What really blew me away, was that for a brew of this magnitude, there was still plenty of stout character; it wasnt just all roast, alcohol and sugar. I can honestly say, I don’t know what more I could ask for from this beer. 10/5/10/5/20
2005 release bottle Still a phenomenal treat and a splendor to behold in the glass, with a thick, coating presence, leaving legs and residue, and a pitch black appearance, BUT, not anywhere near as unfiltered as last years. In my mind, the mouthfeel, the oh so glorious mouthfeel! of the 2004 was worth the fact that it came at the cost of losing 25% of the bottle to sludge. This one is very bitter and hoppy, but I am impressed, it’s not too hoppy even this young. Aroma is not quite as overpowering, but still quite lovely, lots of choco-vanilla, fudge, bourbon, wood, roast, ok so it is quite good! Give me the 04 though! 8/4/8/4/15
2006 release bottle drunk in August 06. Heavily hoppy in the nose, with less finesse and sumptuous, velvety malt perceived in the background. Seems rather fuselic and prematurely racked/filtered. Still has a flavorful chocolate and nice tar/ashiness that balances well the sweet, but still fairly well-attenuated malts. But the finish crackles with burnt rubber, stale popcorn and green apples. What the hell is that all about? Did they brew it in too large a batch and at too high a temperature to get better attenuation on a larger batch? I don’t know, but the fact remains that it has some obvious flaws. And for flaws to break through in DarkLord means some serious problems. Typical filtered texture is nothing like 2004. 7/4/7/3/13.
Rating is an average of the 3 versions minus a point because it’s grown worse not better.
2007 bottle consumed fresh in July ’07
Really, really nice to see that they didn’t filter this to high hell. Much better head retention with appropriate lacing/residue left behind. It’s certainly no ’04, and there’s no visible sediment, but it’s also not crystal clear.
Nice, deep, flawless nose is full of bitter, resinous hops balanced by bitter, dark roast and coffee, but buttressed by sweet vanilla, loads of sweet chocolate and light caramel. Gooey at times, but dry at others.
Intense coffee and black malt immediately pulverize the palate with bitterness and oodles of flavor. Char, very light vinousness and black licorice all slowly give way to light choco-caramel malts, with a full, round, surprisingly soft texture. Again, it’s not the 2004, which I had side-by-side with this bottle, but it’s definitely far and away better than both the previous releases. Obviously aggressive, but it’s very young. This should mellow out nicely in the next year or two. Mostly tight, low carbonation and no fusels/flaws. Great, and very satisfying. 8/5/9/4/17
zebracakes (1004), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Oct 12, 2008 2008 bomber, thanks to the fabulous CMUBEERMAN.
Pours tar, tan head. Aroma is well balanced and blended, chocolate, coffee, malt, vanilla, smoke, slight pine & anise. I can barely detect the alcohol, amazingly smooth aroma. Flavor is oily, and is sweet at first, honey vanilla, chocolate, but mellows into creamy bitter coffee, meaty, smoky, with molasses lingering at the finish. Amazing! This is one of the finest beers ever made. Aliendan approves too! ;)
rednapx3 (25), , Isle of Man
Oct 11, 2008 2007 Bottle
Looks like Used Motor Oil and it coats the glass like glue. Head ? Well. . . Next to nothing . . . and carbonation, not a lot to be found. . .
Aroma, Dried fruit, musty almost like musty bakers Chocolate.
Oh my god the front palate is bad. . . Finish is decent, not to bad actualy on the finish.
Tastes like Espresso, Chared Mapel Syrup, and Dark Chocolate.
You buy a bomber of this stuff you feeling it quick, don’t know how people stand in line for this stuff, i didn’t really think it was all that great with all the hype that this brew gets.
Not my style, but over all not to bad, but considering how you have to get it, and the price, i wouldn’t buy one ever.
It’s not that i don’t like this style, it’s just ok at best. . .
Edit: Woooo, this stuff is making me feel buzzy !
The flavors are getting a bit "too much" now. . .
Rather have a Old Rasputin. . . .
ratman197 (2360), Arvada, Colorado, USA
Oct 10, 2008 Bomber 2006 vintage poured a nearly opaque dark brown with a small lingering brown head. Aromas of dark fruit, smoke, bitter chocolate, molasses and light vanilla. Palate was full bodied and smooth. Flavors of mollasses, bitter chocolate, figs, dates, light vanilla and smoke with a smooth warming lingering bittersweet finish.
cgarvieuk (2541), Edinburgh, Scotland
Oct 6, 2008 Bottle at Toms Ultimate Glasgow Tasting ... (2007 version) ... Deep deep black ... Sweet rich smooth malts ... little meaty in nose ... smooth treacly ... lots of malt extract like i used to get as a kid. Great mouthfeel, silky smooth with a rich warming texture. This is a beer that lives up to the hype... Its such a shame im unlikly to see it again. 4.4
Oh my oh my ... This (2007)Bottle was dumped in front of us at EBF Copenhagen 2008 ... Huge thanks to who ever put it on the table as i was too excited to actually notice who it was ...Deep black ... Huge choclate nose ... Sweet juicy roast malt ... some toffee ... rich rich rich ... loads of roast malts ... wondefull mouth feel. 4.4
Strykzone (1019), Wood River, Illinois, USA
Sep 27, 2008 Updated: Sep 28, 2008vyvvy, THANKS!!! What an incredible beer. This evening I found beer religion. An incredibly beautiful pour with that distinct red head. Just amazing. Aromas of so much fruit, so much malt, so much, well, you get it. Flavors to match. Dark fruit just kept coming and kept surprising as did the appearance and nose. There was so much going on and every bit of it was amazingly good. John, did I say thanks? Wow!!!
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